High-capacity oil bath filter



J n 1952 J. x. BRIXIUS ETAL 2,598,673

HIGH-CAPACITY OIL BATH FILTER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 20, 1947 CD N m 4 i L flgi 2 2 a I 2/ Z6 Z8 27 i 'INVENTORG Jicoa K. Gnu/us ATTORNEYJ Ron-fir Gonna-u. HANNEMAM J1me 1952 J. x. BRIXIUS ETAL 2,598,673

HIGH- CAPACITY OIL BATH FILTER Filed June 20, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVEN 7 CR6 Jiqcoa K amx/usfiamsxr GOROEN Hnmvanmv ATTORNAYJ Patented June 3, 1952 HIGH- CAPACITY OIL BATH FILTER Jacob K. Brixius and Robert Gorden Hanneman,

Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Air-Maze Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation oi Delaware Application June 20, 1947, Serial No. 756,014

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in an oil bath filter, and more particularly to structural arrangements whereby to provide a great increase in capacity over similar devices of the prior art.

The present application is a continuation in part of our copending application Serial No.

729,002, filed February 17, 1947, now abandoned. An object of the present invention is to provide means for evenly distributing the oil or other cleansing liquid utilized in a bath-type filter for maintaining the filter element continually'in a clean condition.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means outside the filter element proper,

but closely adjacent thereto, for breaking up oil or other cleansing liquid carried from a bath toward a filter element without substantially increasing the resistance of the filter apparatus generally to the passage of a gaseous stream.

Another object of the present inventionis to utilize the oil break-up means as a fastening device for assembling the filter element in its housing.

Another object of the present invention is ,to provide a filter element structure. whereby oil globules passing through or tending to pass through the filter element are broken upand redistributed several times so as to oppose the tendency of oil globules to pass entirely through the filter element.

Another object ofthe present invention is to provide novel means in conjunction with the filter mentioned in the preceding paragraphs to prevent spilling and splashing of the oil or, other cleaning liquid contained in the bath portion of the filter.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent fromthe accompanying drawings and description and the essential features will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, v

Fig. 1 is a view showing one embodiment of our. improved filter wherein the right-hand half shows the device in side elevation while the lefthand half shows a central sectional View;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental sectional view enlarged taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the outermost portion of the screen construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2; I 1

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar tothe lower left-hand portion of Fig. 1 and illustrating a modified form of our device; I

Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional view enlarged taken alongthe line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of our device; while Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional viewtaken along the line -'|-,|;of Fig. 6. J

Our invention is an improvement over the type of filter shown in United States Patent 'No. 1,876,368, granted September 6, 1932, to George M. Walton, or as shown in United States Patent No. 2,377,142, granted May 29, 1945, to Clarence J. Glanzer. Liquid bath filters of the type described and as shown in the Walton and Glanzer patents mentioned above are commonly used for the air intake of internal combustion engines. For suchuse, the filter elements must-be so designed that the air passing through the element does not attain a face velocity through the filter element beyond a certain predetermined limit or oil globules will be carried from the liquid bath in the lower outer portion of the filter upwardly and through the filter element to the outlet, whence the oil particles will travel to the engine intake. Obviously, such pullover of oil is undesirable and the filters have a definite limited capacity. The present invention so improves the action of these prior known filters that the air velocity permissible through the filter element without oil pullover may be more than doubled.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, an outer chamber or housing In is provided with air inlet openings through which air enters and passes downwardly through an annular chamber l2 and into and through an oil bath l3 which exists in the bottom of the container, preferably about to the level of the bead M. The oil and air then pass upwardly through a filter element I5 and the clean air is finally discharged downwardly through the tube It. The entire unit is closed at the top by means of a cover held in place by a thumb screw or bolt l8 Which is threaded into aspider l9 which forms part of a bracket 20 which leads to the engine intake. A cylindrical skirt 2| is permanently secured to the filter element l5 by any suitable means such as the rivets 22. A gasket 23 provides a seal between the filter element and the cover ll. Preferably, the skirt 2| extends slightly below. the oil level M, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 so that the air is compelled to pass through the oil on its way to the filter element. A cylindrical sheet of metal or foil 24 forms a portion of the filter element near the bottom thereof and preferably extends slightly above the bottom of skirt 2|, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, forming a bafilering so as to compel the incoming air stream to pass upwardly after it goes under the skirt 2 Prior devices of the type shown in the above-mentioned Glanzer patent have caused the entering air stream to pick up oil or similar cleansing liquid in the bath I3 which is then thrown upwardly with great violence in the annular chamber 25 between the outer wall of the filter element proper and the skirt 2|. Much of this oil has been thrown clear to the top cover resulting in a concentration of oil globules near the top of the filter element.

over the outer face'oi the filter element l5. Any

In other words, if localized air pressure spots have'developed ,in theiontermost layer 21, an

material placed in the annular chamber ,25 ,for.

this purpose must be very carefully chosen,'orit' will so restrict the flow of -air-through"the: fi1ter device as to render it undesirable foruse in the suction line leading to an internal combustion engine. We have found that a single layer 26 of equalizing chamber is provided to diffuse the air stream before it strikes the next layer 21. In

:like manner, if a localized oil concentration has developed in the outer layer 2! this oil is sprayed throughthe coarse screen 28 across an air gap .so.as:,to .spreadtheoil before it hits the next layer 32 1. l'his action is repeated as the stream prowhat is knownto industry as hardware-,cloth'having a veryopen weave of the order of three or ;four. wires per inch will satisfactorily perform this function. The wiresof which this hardware '-cloth --is woven are approximately .035 .inch in -diameter-and-when woven with three meshes to the -inchin each direction, vertically and zhori- --zontally, and crimped in a zig.-zag ,.-manner.as {shown in Figs. '2 and is, will provide a limited number of wires in thesannular chamber :25 i whioh are -suflicient to :break up 1the;.oil globules and distribute them evenly. over :the .outer face oi-the fil-ter-element :but withoutgreatly ;in- {creasing the resistance otthefilter, to .air .flow.

-After -the -oil is evenly idistributed lover {the outer iacecof the filter-element [5, we prefer to vprovide an internal construction of. thiszfi'lter .elehnent-whibh minimizes-the chanceifor. oil globules to passradially :inwardly through sthevfilte'r ,ele-

m ths-undesirable manner mentioned above which produces what I is known .asoil =.pulloy.e.r. Thisconstruotion is shown in conventionalman- {nerdn Figs. L- 2 and 3. Uponleaying the annul ar chamber '25, as the air .streampassesradial-1y i inwardly through the filter element 15 it first jgstlfikes"2483813 2] of relatively .fi-nescreen; preferably formed as-- more -clearly shown imEig. 13, .by

' -foljdingdouble ar-sheet of "1'6 17x 16 ;wire scneen =-showni-in Eig} 3 doubled along its -.uppe r.,edge g2la. 'After doubling, this-screen is preferably given erimps or slight 1 corrugations approximately ri e finch to- -:incli deep, as indicated 1134': 121b- The crimping isdone-after the sheetiis foldedicloulll so =tl 1at-- 'the crimps V or corrugations nestiwithisaeh other and therefore, x-the resultant :jdouble :layer provides openings that are .smaller: than sixteen to fthe Radiallyinward from .therlayer gisa layer tfl of relatively .coarse :wire screen, say

f fpr iristance13 ix *3 hardware .cloth'mentionedxp iej viously in-connection with .:.the layer 32 6. fillhis separating-layer shallow parallel crimps ohcorruga-tions extending :fromtopitozhottomgof -the sheet, these crimps ebeing approximately 3% to /4 inch-i-nradial :depth. The :layers 211 7 Marerepeateda plurality: ofltimes. asclearly indicated in figs-1 and-2 where :we haveshown -f9 ur of the layers {-21 separated :by three 3,01 :the alayers 28, thus =-providi-ngan innermostlayer 1' 2] ltiresults -from-the above ponstruc-tion '{that' a wery eflicient cleaning-actionof the airstream provided together with ev-en distribution xii-the i I j-wash-ing liquidsuch as-oil, but minimizing-the --gresses -radially inward through the filter element l5. A minir'num of oil will be carried to the imermost 1ayer.,2;-l and this being a fine screen layer yvill stop the last particles of oil which will drain downward to the oil bath I3.

No oil or unfiltered air can by-pass the filter .element I5 atthe top becauseof 1the; gasket 23 which contacts .the upper edges of ;:all :of the screen layers. and at .its outer periphery closely .-.engages' the radially inturned -:flange :2 la of :the skirt 2|. This flange also stiffens the cylindrical 1skirt 2-l-.;at thetop;thereof.

N o by-passing of i=the filter .:element A I 5 .QEiSfEDOS" sible at the bottom thereof .beoause sthe ,:af0i1-.-;or

zmetal barrier :24 extendstto the bottom; [Ila ofithe :Removal .of :the bolt l; 8 permits :the

:housing and sufficient .oil'is always presentrat this location- 'to :prevent byepassinggof theair. Theconstruction just described is. easilyidisassembled when it is desired to nleaincthei tercover I] after which .the ,.-.un.itcomm:

.skirt 2|, :the filterelement ;t5: and the'driiuser screen 26 (held zztogether iby :thevrivets 712) is provides a very strong construction uponxwhich a heavy person may :stand without .;d,efor 1nin the same. Trouble has been experienced in prior constructions :where 12a drawinsdo m 0f 1 'the bolt has caused deformationnf cylindrical -filter elements in xprior soil .aboth filters 210i general type.

. 'Amodification isshown is: in all 'respectslike :that described 51, 32

and 3, except that layers 29 ands3llz;rad.=iaily outside and inside respectively..-of:the:.fi1teraflemsnt l 5 have :been..proyided. ifDl'fiS construction-:18

adopted where the vfilter z-is :subiect ito ishalsillg and v'ibrationwhichmight zcause tgthe oil; 11055913511 out of the 1 filter. To minimize suchisplashine. layers 29 and 30 are provided, one ofzizhese-zhfi- Lingshownin.detailinrFigso. "rfihisiatienis-iprefsirable that the layer rafl substantiallyr toueh the discharge tube IgB on the 'inside', =and.layer .iof the filter element fat-=theoutside. "*The IayerE-ZS is the like layer So -consisting .lof dx sahandware x cloth or equivalent,ffolded in zig 'zaggiormand squeezed relatively elose' together so::asto s'ub- -da-n-ger tha't-oil.willbecarried entirely through thedilter element-to thedischarge outlet 4B. --=We believe thefreason ior thisiaetion is that each layer -fl the screen wires aresubstantially evenly fcoatedwith oil and the 'air passing through the i fine-interstices deposits its d-ustupon the screen *stantially fill the annular space between screen layer 26 and the outer cylindrical wall ofthe' 'mainhousin g 'up to and preferably slightly' above theoillevelbe'ad |4.- j

. n th m dificat ofg e -6 an 'fliw ha shown *how the 3 single layer 7 ;of ":Stiifi hardware cloth outside of the filter-element -proper may be utilized 'to perforrn a second functio'n in -the assembly of the parts. Here the filter l-iousing parts and {t2 are'the-like-the parts 40 and l 0a fthe-a'mstream striKesthe-neXtlayer-Z I inward. I previously described. 7 The cover 3'3 'isiilie the cover II, the outlet pipe .34 is like the pipe I6 and the parts are held together by a thumb bolt 35 similar to I8. The annular filter element 36 may be constructed like the element already described and. the drawings have been simplified by eliminating the details of this filter element. The baflle ring 31 which extends entirely around the filter element near the bottom may be exactly like the baiiie ring 24 previously mentioned or it may be made of a hard felt material substantially impervious to the ready flow of oil and folded over slightly on the bottom housing mem- .ber'32 as indicated at 31a to give .a good seal at this point. The chief difference between this modification and that previously described consists in the arrangement and assembly of the skirt 38 and the hardware cloth layer 39. The skirt 38 is here shown as secured to the top 33 as by spot welding at the point 40. The hardware cloth layer 39 is quite similar to the layer 26 previously described. In Fig. 7 we have shown how the corrugations of the hardware cloth may be slightly flattened along their outermost portions 39a for a purpose which will presently appear. The outermost periphery of the hardware cloth layer is adapted to frictionally engage the inner face of the cylindrical skirt 38 sufliciently to frictionally hold the same in the assembled position shown in Fig. 6. Securing members 4| pass through the filter element 36 and into the hardware cloth layer 39 so as to make a unitary, assembly of these parts.

It results from the construction of the preceding paragraph that when the top 33 is separated from the housings 3|, 32 the unit consisting of the. parts 36 and 39 is pushed up inside the skirt 38 against an annular gasket seal 42. There is sufficient resiliency in the hardware..cloth layer. 39 to provide a strong frictional engagement between the hardware cloth and the skirt 38 so that the parts are normally held together but may be separated by a strong pull. The hardware cloth layer 39 fulfills, in the modification of Figs. 6 and 7, the same functions recited with the respect to the hardware cloth layer 26 described in connection with the first modification while at the same time performing its function in assembling the parts in the novel manner just disclosed. When the user desires to disassemble the device of Fig. 6 he loosens the thumb bolt and removes the top 33 which brings away with it the skirt 38 and the parts 39 and 36. If his purpose is merely to clean out the bowl portion 32 of the housing and renew the oil to the level A he need not disassemble the parts secured to the cover, but may easily replace them exactly as they were removed. If, however, he desires to inspect or clean the portions 39 and 36 he may then pull these parts away from the skirt 38 with a strong pull.

What we claim is:

1. In a liquid bath filter having a housing for holding a washing liquid bath in the bottom thereof, having a cylindrical outer wall of said housing and a cylindrical skirt spaced inwardly therefrom providing an annular air inlet chamber directing air into said bath, there being air inlet means near the top of said chamber, having an annular filter element spaced inwardly from said skirt providing an annular air uptake chamber between said skirt and element and providing an air discharge chamber centrally of said element, having means for discharging air out of the upper portion of said discharge chamber, and having a top and baflie means compelling flow of air downwardly in said air inlet chamber, through said bath where it picks up liquid, upwardly in said uptake chamber and radially inwardly through said filter elee ment; the combination therewith of said skirt extending substantially to the top level of said bath, and a limited number of bodies of a filamentary character substantially evenly spaced in said uptake chamber, said bodies being of a size and number to thoroughly break up liquid globules carried out of said bath while not appreciably increasing the resistance to air flow through said filter, said bafl'le means including a substantially imperforate baffle ring extending from the bottom 'of said liquid bath to a level above said bath, said baiiie ring having a diameter close to the outside diameter of said annular filter element, and said filamentary bodies substantially filling said annular uptake chamber.

2. In a liquid bath filter having a housing for holding a washing liquid bath in the bottom thereof, having a cylindrical outer wall of said housing and a cylindrical skirt spaced inwardly therefrom providing an annular air inlet chamber directing air into said bath, there being air inlet means near the top of said chamber, having an annular filter element spaced inwardlyv from said skirt providing an annular air uptake chamber between said skirt and element and providing an air discharge chamber centrally of said element, having means for discharging air out of the upper portion of said discharge'chamber, and having a top and baflle means compelling flow of air downwardly in said air inlet chamber, through said bath where it picks up liquid, upwardly in said uptake chamber and radially inwardly through said filter element; the combination therewith of said skirt extending substantially to the top level of said bath, and a sheet of woven screen of the order of three square meshes per inch each way, said sheet folded in zig-zag corrugations and positioned in said uptake chamber and substantially filling said uptake chamber between said skirt and annular filter element.

3. In a liquid bath filter, an annular filter element comprising spaced annular layers of screen material providing fine interstices of the order of a double sheet of woven screen having sixteen meshes per inch each way and nesting parallel crimps in said double sheet of the order of three thirty-seconds to three-sixteenths inch deep, and a separating layer between said spaced layers of the order of hardware cloth having three meshes per inch each way, said separating layer having parallel crimps of the order of three-thirtyseconds to one-fourth inch deep.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said sheet of woven and corrugated screen extends downwardly into said bath, whereby liquid is carried away from said bath more easily where said screen rises upwardly therefrom.

5. In a liquid bath filter comprising an annular filter element and a housing having a liquid bath in the lower portion thereof and having a removable cover closing the top of said housing and having battle means compelling flow of a gaseous stream through said bath and then through said element; the combination therewith of a cylindrical skirt forming part of said baflie means and secured to said cover and extending substantially to the top level of said liquid bath, an annular slightly resilient layer of stiff coarse mesh screen radially outside of and secured to said annular filter element, said skirtienclosing said layer. when. said: parts. are

assembled, said. screen being provided with acore rugations running from .topz-to bottom thereof", and the outside dimension ofrsaidlayerof coarse mesh screen and. the. inside. dimensionzofi said skirt'being so-chosen as to providerstrong fric' tional engagement betweenithe. outside ridgesof said corrugations and said'skirt, whereby said filter: element '.-is.removable .fromsaidliousing by removal of said. cover,;. and sa'id... filterelement is. removable from said skirt and cover by: a strong pull; V

I 6. In azliquicihathv filter comprising an annularfilterrelementand a-.. housing having" a liquidtbathl in the. lower portion thereof and having-a removable cover'closi-ng thev top of said housing and having. baflie means compelling flow ofa'gaseous stream through saidbath andthen housing and a cylindrical? skirt-I spaced inwardly therefrom: providing an annular: airinlet chamber' directing air into said bath, there heing air inletmeans near! the top of said chamber; hav

ingan annular filter"- element spaced inwardly from: said skirt providing-an annular air: uptake chamberb'etweenr said'skirt"andrelement;having means for dischargingrair out 01'. th'erupperi" pct tion: or said discharge chamber, and. having a top and: b'afile means: compelling new of air "down wardly in" said air inlet chamber, through. said bath whereit picks up. liquid, upwardly: in": said uptake chamber and: radially. inwardly. through said filter e1ement, .the combinationtherewith of" a filamentary o'il dispersion element filling said' annular: uptake chamber and engaging-i. be:-

through saidelement; thecombination there'-.- i

with of a icylindi'icai skirt forming part of said baflle-means and secured'to said cover and; extending.substantially. to the toprlevel of said 1iquidbath,.an annular slightly resilient. layer ;of-. stifiicoarsemesh. screen radiallyg outside= of and secured to said annular filter element said skirt enclosing said layer when said: parts-- are assembled; the outside dimension of saidlayer of coarse mesh screen and-the insidedimension ioisaidv skirtbeing so chosen as -.to, provide stron frictional engagement between said layer and isaidskirmandsaid strong frictional engagement providingv the sole' securing .means. between said skirt on. the one-hand and said filter element and'zlayer on the other hand, whereby said filter 1 element is? removable from. said housing; by: remoral of said .cover, and. said filter-element is removable from said skirt and cover by a strong 1 pulL.

.7. In a liquidlbath filtenahavingza housingfor holding; a washing liquid bath the bottom thereof; havi-ng;aucylindricalouter. wallof. said Glanzeri; May 29,1945 

